ForMin Aurescu: National Day - occasion to reaffirm importance of promoting national interests in foreign policy implementation

In a message on Romania National Day, Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu states that this is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of promoting national interests in the pursuit of the country's foreign policy goals, agerpres reports.

"For me, Romania's National Day is a special opportunity to convey to the Romanians everywhere the best wishes of health, well-being and prosperity, even in a difficult global context that still bears the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic and is marked by multiple challenges. For us, Romanians, December 1 represents more than highlighting an important historic moment - it is a landmark symbol of our solidarity in the face of all the difficulties we have faced as a nation, which we have overcome and will be able to further overcome with confidence in our own force. For Romanian diplomacy, the National Day is also an opportunity to reaffirm the central importance of the increasingly effective promotion of national interests in the implementation of foreign policy, as well as the ever better protection of the interests and rights of Romanian citizens abroad," Bogdan Aurescu said.

He mentions that providing adequate consular assistance and managing the various difficult situations of Romanian citizens remain the Foreign Ministry's priority lines of action through Romania's diplomatic and consular missions.

"To this effect, the lessons learned during the pandemic have already kick-started a process of long-term institutional and societal adaptation, by reaffirming our fundamental values and attachment to democratic norms and principles, with the aim of increasing our resilience as a state and society to challenges of any kind, and our capacity to manage at top parameters the regional and global risks, threats and challenges," Aurescu notes.

He specifies that, to the same extent, at a diplomatic level, strengthening Romania's strategic resilience and its external relevance is part of the vision for the future, and that - anchored in long-term strategic values and objectives, the Romanian diplomacy has built and developed in the last year important landmarks in this direction.

"Beyond the new international benchmarks and the response thereto, the foundations of our foreign policy remain the same - raising the profile of our country in the European Union and within NATO so as to achieve our common goals, as well as developing and deepening the Strategic Partnership with the United States, while supporting and promoting democratic values, respect for international law and rules-based international order, and firm support for effective multilateralism and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms. All of these guidelines have been systematically reaffirmed by our diplomatic action this year," Aurescu goes on to state.

The Romanian top diplomat reminds that next year will see the 160th anniversary of the creation of the Foreign Affairs Ministry and that Romania has taken significant steps in streamlining and modernizing its diplomatic action. In the Foreign Minister's opinion, Romania's foreign policy must be further governed by national consensus, staying consistent and predictable so as to lead to concrete results and contribute to the well-being and security of the Romanian citizens.

"In any major challenge, there are also windows of opportunity that must not be missed. We still live in a period where these are of great importance and coax us to deeply ponder together, Romanians in the country and abroad, on December 1, 2021, on the values of solidarity and consistency in building a resilient future," concludes ForMin Aurescu.